Okaz

ON Sept. 26, Shoura Council member Dr. Modi Al-Khalaf tweeted on her official Twitter account the news of the council dropping a proposal presented by Dr. Nora Al-Musaied and herself calling for the establishment of a national database for child molesters. The proposal was meant to ensure that child molesters would not be involved in any jobs that dealt with children in the future. The recommendation was dropped with a margin of seven votes.

Saudi society was shocked by the decision of the council. They could not comprehend what excuse the council members could have to vote against a recommendation that protects children from molestation. This was a very important recommendation to help protect children from predators by removing them from workplaces that concern with children such as schools, amusement parks and sports clubs. At these places, the children are away from the protection of their parents because their safety is entrusted with the employees of these establishments. If the employee is a child molester, then the child will stand helpless in front of him and most likely will do what he has been asked to do.

Those who voted against this recommendation did not care if these children were exposed to the crime of sexual harassment and remained unprotected.

Child molestation will destroy the future of the victim and will inflict deep psychological scars, and in most cases will turn these children themselves to future predators. It will turn these victims to violent psychological behavior and will affect their study and lead them to drug addiction.

Since it is the nature of children to copy what the elders do, then he will do the same with other children. This will be implanted deep inside the child and when he grows up and get married, there is no guarantee that he will not continue the same sexual behavior against other children, and in most cases, his own children.

Child predators will also pass on dangerous sexual diseases, such as AIDS.

The recommendation by the two Shoura members is implemented in many developed countries including the United States. If a child molester was released from prison, then this person cannot live or work next to any establishment that involves children, such as schools and gardens. They need to stay at least more than 600 meters away from them.

He cannot work in any establishment that involves children.

Who is most important, the child molester or the children? There are public rights in society that needs to be ensured and one of them is the right to protect children, especially in places where parents are not allowed such as schools.

Sadly we have Shoura members who stand against the rights of women and children. This was evident from another glaring example in February this year when the council dropped a recommendation to allow paramedics to enter girls› schools in case of emergencies to provide first aid. The proposal was made following several fatal accidents in girls› schools and other places that resulted in many deaths.